About Refuse and Recycling Collection

Borough residents are required to purchase recycling collection services and are encouraged to do their part in recycling. The State of Pennsylvania has established a recycling goal of 35%. Please continue to protect the environment by reducing, reusing, and recycling.

Effective October 1, 2021 Ephrata Borough will contract these services through Republic Services. Residents may choose this service or contract directly with the hauler of their choice. The borough is divided into four quadrants bounded by Main Street (which runs east-west) and State Street (which runs north-south).

Schedule

The collection schedule is:

• Monday Southeast quadrant
• Tuesday Northeast quadrant
• Wednesday Northwest quadrant
• Thursday Southwest quadrant 

Services

Services offered by the Borough include the following:

• Refuse is collected one time per week and will be collected on the same day as your recycling.
• Refuse to be collected must be placed not more than five feet from the curb.
• Green recycling containers are available at the Borough Office or can be delivered to your home if requested.
• Refuse and Recycling must be placed outside the night before your collection day. Collections start at 5:00am.
• Residents participating in the Borough's refuse program will receive a refuse I.D. plate. These plates must be displayed outside the home in clear view to notify the hauler that you are a Borough refuse customer.
• If your pick up day falls on a holiday you will be picked up based on the annual holiday schedule.
• The maximum number of containers is four 32-gallon containers or equivalent per week. The maximum weight limit per container is 30 pounds.
• Billing for your refuse program will be included on your monthly utility bill at a cost of $20.75 per month.
• Should you exceed your four-bag limit, extra service tags are available for $3.00 per tag. They can be picked up in the Borough's Business Office or mailed by calling 717-738-9222.
• Household batteries must be disposed of in a special battery bag. Battery bags are available at the Ephrata Borough Office.
• Yard Waste collection takes place beginning the first full week of April through the second full week of October. Brown bags and a sticker are required for pick up. These can be purchased in the Business Office for $3.00.
• Christmas Trees are picked up curbside two weeks in January. Dates are advertised in The Shopping News.
• Collection of Tires and White Goods takes place twice a year.
• Oversized refuse items such as a chair, carpet, sofa, or mattress weighing less than 50 pounds may be placed with your regular Borough trash pickup. However, these items do require a $8.00 oversized item tag that may be purchased at the Business Office or mailed by contacting the Business Office at 717-738-9222. If mailed, cost of postage will be added to the cost of the oversized bag.
• For items in excess of 50 pounds please contact a private hauler.
• No Alley pickup for Refuse or Recycling unless directly notified.

To sign up for refuse collection or to find out more information, please call the Business Office at 717-738-9222.